Cylinder-lock.



E. EPSTEIN.

CYLINDER LOCK.

APPLICATION FILED JAN. 29. I917.

Patented J una 19, 1917.

EpsTei n.

r 0 u n e V n I A? Ty s.

ELI EPSTEIN, OF LEOMINSTER,1VIASSACHUSETTS.

CYLINDER-LOCK.

Specification of Letters Patent. Patented June 19, 1917.

Application filed January 29, 1917. Serial N 0. 145,044.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, ELI EPSTEIN, a subject of the Czar of Russia, residing at Leominster, county of Worcester, State of Massachusetts, have invented an Improvement in Cylinder-Locks, of which the following description, in connection with the accompanying drawing, is a specification, like characters on the drawing representing like parts.

This invention relates to cylinder locks and has for its principal object to provide a novel lock of this type which is non-pickable, and for other objects to provide the further improvements in cylinder locks which are hereinafter set forth.

One way in which some cylinder locks can be picked is by inserting a thin ribbonlike wire between the plug and the casing and at the same time manipulating each tumbler pin separately by means of a skeleton key so as to bring the joint between the sections of each pin into alinement with the periphery of the barrel, and as each pin is thus lined up, working the wire ribbon in between the sections of the pin thus holding them in this position. When the tumbler pins have thus all been lined up and are held in this position by the lock-picking implement, the plug can be turned, thereby opening the lock. Another way in which cylinder locks are sometimes picked is by placing a slight pressure on the end of the plug and at the same time giving the look a series of hammer-like blows. Such blows tend to cause the tumbler pins to jump in their sockets, and by skilfully applying the proper pressure to the end of the plug while such blows are applied, the pin sections in the casing can be prevented from moving downwardly under the influence of the springs, but will be permitted to move backwardly by the tapping action of the pin sections in the plug due to such blows until all the pins are lined up. When this has been successfully accomplished, the plug may be turned, thus opening the lock.

As stated above, the principal object of my present invention is to provide an improved cylinder lock which cannot be picked in either of these ways, or in any other known way. I accomplish this object by connecting the sections of the end tumbler pins in such a way as'to permit the lock to be manipulated as usual by the insertion of the proper key, but to prevent the sections of the tumbler pins from being separated and held in their lined-up position by the insertion of any lock-picking implement, such as above described. The manner of connecting the sections of the tumbler pins also prevents the look from beingpicked by the jarring operation above referred to.

In order to give an understanding of my invention, I have illustrated in the drawings, a selected embodiment thereof which will now be described, after which the novel features will bev pointed out in the appended claims. v

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a perspective view of a cylinder lock embodying my invention;

Fig. 2 is a longitudinal sectional View on the line 2- -2, Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a section on the line 38, Fig. 2;

Fig. 4 is a section on the line 4.4, Fig. 2;

Fig. 5 is a perspective view of the comblike pin-positioning member;

Fig. 6 is a perspective view of one of the tumbler pins showing the sections connected;

Fig. 7 is a perspective view of one ofthe sections of a tumbler pin; I

Fig. 8 is a perspective view of the plug.

Figs. 9 and 10'are views of two different keys that may be used for opening my im-' proved lock. j

' 1 indicates the casingof the cylinder lock which is provided with the usual bore in which is received for rotativemovement the usual plug 2 having its key-hole slot 3. The

plug is also provided with the pockets 4 to receive portions of thetumbler pins, and the casing is provided with other pockets or spaces 5 in which the tumbler pins are partially received, the pockets 4 and spaces 5 being normally in. alinement to receive the tumbler pins. The tumbler pins are formedin a plurality of sections, and each tumbler pin is backedby a spring 6, as usual in cylinder locks In my improvement, however, the sections of some at least of the tumbler pins are'connected' together so as to prevent them from being separated longitudinallyby any lock-picking process. The connection betweenthe sections of the tumbler pins, however, is such as to permit the plug to be turned for opening the lock whenever the tumbler pins are properly lined up. The tumbler pins may be made in two or more sections as desired. I have herein illustrated each tumbler pin as comprising the two sections 7 and 8, the section 4 8 being received. in the pockets 4. formed in the plug, and the section 7 being received in the spaces formed in the casing. The sections of the two end pins at least, and if desired the sections of all the other pins, are connected in the manner best seen in Figs. 6 and 7. Each pin section. 8 is formed at its end with a lip 9 and groove 10, and the section 7 is provided with a lip 11 adapted to enter the groove and with a groove 12 to receive the lip 9. The sections 7 and 8 are thus connected together so that they cannot be separated in the direction of their length, so long as these lips and grooves have their interlocking engagement. The pin. at the left-hand end of the lock is so disposed that the lip 1.1 on the upper section 7 extends toward the right-hand end of the lock and the lips and grooves on the pin at the right-hand end of the lock are so disposed that the lip 11 of the upper section 7 extends toward the left-hand end of the lock. The barrel 2 is provided with grooves 13 which intersect the pockets l therein, as best seen in Fig. 8.

The tumbler pins intermediate the end pins will preferably have the same'tongueand-groove connection. between the sections thereof as above referred to, although this is not essential.

hen the key is inserted in the key-hole slot, the tumbler pins are lined up so that the upper edge of the lip 9 of each lower pin section comes into line with the peripheral surface of the plug 3, and the lower end or surface of each lip 11 on the upper pin section comes in line with the bottom of the grooves 13. The pins are held from turning movement so that the lips are always directed toward the ends of the plug.

With this arrangement, it will be seen that when the pins are properly lined up by the insertion of the key, the plug can be turned to open the lock as the lips and grooves will merely be withdrawn sidewise from each other. hen the plug is returned to locking position, the lips and grooves of the pins will move back into their interlocking engagement.

,Vith this construction, it. is not possible to pick the lock by theinsertion of a thin ribbon-like lock-picking implement between the plug and the casing because in each of the end pins the joint between the end of the lip 11 on the upper pin section 7 and the bottom of the groove 10 on the lower pin section 8 is situated in the groove 13 and below the periphery of the plug 2, thus making it impossible to insert a lock-picking implement between the sections of the end pins.

In order that the lock may operate'properly, it is essential that the tumbler pins should be held from turning movement, and I propose to securethis end by making the pins non-circular in cross section and by making the pockets for the pins of corresponding shape. 1 have herein illustrated each pin as rectangular in cross-section, al-

though the pins might have any suitable non-circular cross-sectional shape. In order to provide in an inexpensive manner the proper-slniped spaces in the casing for the pins, 1 make the casing with a longitudinally-extending groove 14: having a width equal to one transverse dimension of the pins, and then place in said groove a comblike pin-positioning member 15 which is slotted to form the spaces This pin-positioning meml'ier 15 thus provides the propershaped spaces 5 for the pin sections 7. The pockets 4-. in the plug 2 will also have a proper cross-sectional shape to it the pin sections 8. The groove 14 in which the'pinpositioning member 15 is received extends through the rear end ot' the casing 1, thus permitting said member 15 to be inserted into the groove through the end of the (asing. After said member is in place. the member 15 is of such a length that when in position it terminates short of the end of the casing. and a closing strip 16 is secured in the end of the groove 11 thereby looking the member 15 in place. This construction whereby some at least oi the pinshavc their sections connected also prevents the possibility of picking the lock by the jarring process above referred to because when the pins are jarred out of position by a blow received by the casing, both sections of each pin will move together and the pins cannot be linedup by atapping of one section of thepin against the other due to repeated blowsgiven to the lock.

The combination can be changed with my improved lock in usual manner by first using the proper key to partially turn the plug 2 and thenremoving said plug and replacing the pin sections therein with other pin sections of different lengths.

I have herein illustrated each of the pin sections 8 as cut away or rabbeted at its lower edge to form a shoulder 17, and the diiterent pin. sections 8 are so formed that the shoulders 17 thereof come at different distances from the lower ends 18.,the shoulders on some pin sections being nearer the end. 18 than on other pin sections. The key-hole slot is made relatively wide at its upper end, as shown at 19. The purpose of this construction is to permit the lock to be opened by two different keys having differ ent widths at their operative edges. If, for instance, a key, such as shown in Fig. 9 is used which is relatively wide at its serrated or operative edge 20, then when thiskey is inserted in the key-hole slot, it will engage the lower ends 18 of the pins, and said pins Will be lined up by their lower ends. If, however, a key such as shown in Fig. 10 is used which has a comparatively-narrow serrated or operative edge 21 which is shaped so that it will engage the shoulders 17 of the pin sections 8, then said pin sections will be lined up by the shoulders 17. As these shoulders are situated at different distances from the ends 18 of the pins, the key which cooperates with the shoulder 17 will have a different shape from that which is shown in Fig. 9 and which cooperates with the ends 18. One of these keys may be in the nature of a master key and the other in the nature of a working key.

I claim 1. In a cylinder lock, the combination with a casing, of a plug rotatably mounted therein. said plug and casing having tumbler-pin-receiving pockets, and tumbler pins in said pockets, each pin comprising a plurality of sections and some at least of the pins having their sections connected.

2. In a cylinder lock, the combination with a casing, of a plug rotatably mounted therein, said plug and easing having tumbler-pin-receiving pocliets, and tumbler pins in said pockets, each pin comprising two sections and some at least of the pins having their sections connected.

3. In a cylinder lock, the combination with a casing, of a plug rotatably mounted therein, said plug and casing having tumbler-pin-receiving pockets, and tumbler pins in said pockets, each pin comprising a plurality of sections, and the end pins having their sections connected.

4. In a cylinder lock, the combination with a casing, of a plug rotatably mounted therein, said plug and casing having tumbler-pin-receiving pockets, and sectional tumbler pins in said pockets, each section of some at least of said pins having a lip which is received in a groove in the corresponding section.

5. In a cylinder lock, the combination with a casing, of a plug rotatably mounted therein, said plug and casing having tumbler-pin-receiving pockets, and sectional tumbler pins in said pockets, one section of,

each pin having a lip extending toward the end of the plug which is received in a groove in the corresponding pin section.

6. In a cylinder lock, the combination with a casing, of a plug rotatably mounted therein, said plug and casing having tumbler-pin-receiving pockets, and sectional tumbler pins in said pockets, one section of each pin having a lip extending toward the end of the plug which is received in a groove in the corresponding pin section and the plug having grooves 13 in alinement with the pins.

7. In a cylinder lock, the combination with a casing, of a plug rotatably mounted therein, said plug and casing having tumbler-pinreceiving pockets, sectional tumbler pins in said pockets, one section of each pin having a lip extending toward the end i of the plug which is received in a groove in the corresponding pin section, and means for preventing the tumbler pins from turning movement in their pockets.

In testimony whereof, I have signed my name to this specification.

ELI EP STEIN.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of. Patents, Washington, D. C. 

